You wake up in the morning, swing your feet out of bed, and rise. As you take your first step, you feel searing pain across the soles of your feet and heels. This is a common scenario when you have plantar fasciitis.
The good news is that the pain typically subsides once you get up and move. Unfortunately, it will be back to greet you the following day or after a long period of inactivity.
Each year in the United States, there are about 1 million visits to medical providers for plantar fasciitis treatment. So, if you’re struggling with heel and foot pain, we recommend seeing one of the highly experienced foot health experts at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle. Our team has extensive experience helping people move past plantar fasciitis.
Anytime you see the suffix -itis, it refers to inflammation. In the case of plantar fasciitis, the inflammation is in your plantar fascia — a long ligament that stretches from your heel to your toes, providing support for your arches.
Plantar fasciitis is painful because the inflammation increases when you’re not on your feet, such as when you’re sleeping. So, when you take your first steps in the morning, your plantar fascia is very tight due to the inflammation, and it takes a few steps for the tissue to stretch back out again.
Another reason plantar fasciitis is so uncomfortable is that heel spurs often develop with plantar fasciitis, and these bony growths can exacerbate the discomfort.
The inflammation in your plantar fascia is due to tiny tears that develop in these tough tissues because of repetitive stresses or too much pressure.
For example, plantar fasciitis accounts for about 10% of running injuries. In fact, any sport that places increased pressure on your feet leaves you more vulnerable to the condition.
Outside of athletic pursuits, spending a lot of time on your feet can overstress the tissues, as can carrying too much weight.
Certain pre-existing conditions, such as irregular foot anatomy or some forms of arthritis, can also make you more susceptible to plantar fasciitis.
However the condition developed, see us if you're dealing with plantar fasciitis. We can resolve the pain and prevent the situation from worsening.
If we confirm you have plantar fasciitis, we determine its cause and base our treatment plan on this information. For example, if you’re an active person, we strongly suggest custom orthotics or inserts like Powerstep® to provide more support for your plantar fascia.
In all cases, we provide you with stretching exercises and a timeline for resting the damaged tissues. If your discomfort is considerable, we can turn to a corticosteroid injection to relieve the pain and inflammation.
We might also prescribe night splints to prevent your plantar fascia from tightening too much while you sleep.
To learn what’s best for your plantar fasciitis and your lifestyle, the first step is to consult with one of our foot health experts. To get started, simply contact one of our 14 locations in Tennessee to schedule an appointment.
